Chandigarh industrialists receive inflated property tax bills

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4

Facing losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, industrialists allege that they have now been badly affected by inflated property tax bills.

The industrialists stated that the Municipal Corporation (MC) had been issuing exaggerated property tax bills. They said an industrialist at Industrial Area, Phase I, had received a whopping property tax bill for Rs11.99 lakh through an SMS and he had been asked to deposit the amount before July 31.

The industrialists stated that they had been receiving bills via SMS.

Naveen Manglani, president, Chamber of Chandigarh Industries, said a majority of industrial units were getting 4-5 times inflated property tax bills, which included non-existing arrears and interests.

“If a person gets a bill in lakhs, it will surely give a shock to the receiver during these trying times. It’s a sheer harassment of the industrialists. For the past two years, the MC had been sending us bills with errors and we have been making rounds of their office to get them rectified,” he said.

He said there was a 20 per cent increase in property tax this year, which was like rubbing salt into wounds. The Administration had assured to waive property tax bills for at least the lockdown period, but it never happened.

“E-sampark centres are charging collection fee, which is totally unjustified. No such charges are levied on payment of water and electricity bills,” he said.

“It seems the MC just wants to multiply its revenue by hook or by crook, whereas we were expecting some relief from the government to tide over the crisis,” he added.

An MC official said they had received complaints regarding inflated property tax bills and were trying to rectify the same.

Meanwhile, RK Garg, convener, Second Innings Association, said the property tax rates had been revised upward in March this year. “There is a revision of 25 per cent or more in residential properties. Over and above, the MC records are not updated even after two years. Still many people are receiving demand notices for arrears even though they have paid the tax regularly without fail and they also possess valid receipts,” he said.

“The entire public is facing acute financial crunch. The association requests the UT Administration that the property tax rates applicable in 2019-20 be restored,” he added.